Mail-bag fastener and tag-holder.



N0. 581,600. Patented Aug. 27, |901. J. C. WHALEY.

MAIL BAG FASTENER AND TAG HOLDER.

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JAMES CANON WIIALEY, OF UNIONTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG FASTENER AND TAGHOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,600, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed .Tune 21,1901.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns CANON WHA-V LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uniontown, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners and Tag-Holders 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail-bag fasteners; and the object of the invention is to simplify and to generally improve upon this class of devices commonly in use, and in carrying out my invention I provide a receptacle for carrying the identification-card and a keeper integral therewith designed to receive the metallic end of a fastener, which is engaged by the tongue of a padlock and held in a locked relation.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims and is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form part of this application, andin which- Figure 1 is a view of the upper or open end of a mail-bag, showing my improved fastening attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of the fastening device, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the lock.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the top of a mail-bag, to one end of which the keeper and the receptacle for carrying the identification-card, made of one piece of metal, are fastened.

B designates a metallic receptacle having its base portion projected and formed into a keeper C at one end, which may be of any desired shape, the form in the drawings being oval-shaped. 0n the opposite side of the keeper is a staple D, which after passing 5o through the bag projects at right angles from the keeper on the opposite side of the metallic extension from said receptacle, and E and Serial No. 651333. (No model.)

F are similarly-constructed staples, which are fastened to the bottom of said receptacle and adapted to receive the straps which are utilized in drawing the open edges of the bag together. Said receptacle has a hinged lid H, mounted on a hinge H at one end of the receptacle, and has a shouldered portion h on either of its longitudinal edges adjacent to its hinged portion. The upper edge of the receptacle is recessed near its hinged end, as at h, to receive said shoulder 7a when the lid is closed. On the inner walls of the receptacle is a shoulder K, on which the edges of the cover rest when closed, in which the outer face of the cover and the upper edges of the receptacle are dush with each other. On one of the longitudinal edges of the cover is a projecting portion L, which is longitudinally apertured to receive a bolt M, which is normally held at its forward limit by means of a spring M'. This projection is so positioned on the cover that it will not interfere with the receptacley when the cover is closed, and a keeper J is formed on one of the outer faces of the receptacle to receive the locking end of said spring-actuated bolt.

The strap which is secured at one end to the bag has secured to its opposite end a metallic member R, which is recessed at R to receive the end of the strap, which is securely fastened thereto, said metallic member having its outer circumference ovalshaped, conforming to the inner wall of the keeper C, which forms part of the metallic extension of said receptacle. The free end of said metallic member R is contracted, forming a flat extension which has its opposite walls parallel and has an elongated aperture S therein. The extreme end of said member, on its edge adjacent to the floor of the keeper, is forwardly projected and adapted to enter the recess in the hinged end of said receptacle and to contact with the outer end wall thereof. Said slot S is provided to receive the tongue T of a padlock, and a suflicient space is loft between the outer margin of said aperture and the inner end of the keeper C for the padlock to rest upon the projecting portion of the receptacle intervening between the latter and the keeper C.

Projecting from the outer end of the keeper C is a iiange r, which is provided as a guide ICO for the insertion of the metallic member R as it is slid into and through the keeper C and into a position in engagement With the receptacle to receive the tongue of the padlock.

From the foregoing it will be Observed that by the provision of a fastener constructed in accordance with my invention the identification-ticket may be securely held in place and removed after the bag has been fastened, and by the provision of the met-allie member secured to the end of the strap said member will be held from rattling and the device may be easily and quickly locked.

The device may be readily applied to old or new bags and straps used for holding the ends of the bag closed.

Having thus ,described my invention, What I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fastener for mail-bags, comprising an identification card receptacle and a keeper mounted on an integral extension thereof,sta ples fastened to said receptacle and keeper, adapted to be fastened toa mail-bag, a strap fastened to the bag, and a metallic member having an aperture in one end, said member conforming in shape to,and fitting Within said keeper, and the aperture therein designed to receive the tongue of a padlock, as set forth.

2. A mail-bag fastener, comprising in combination with the bag, an identification-card vreceptacle and keeper mounted on an extension thereof, fastened to said bag, an integral guide extension to said keeper, staples fastened to said receptacle and keeper, a strap fastened at one end to the mail-bag, a metallic member fastened to the other end of said strap, said member being flat upon its under surface, and oval-shaped, to conform to the inner wall of said keeper, and fit Within the same, the free end of said member being contracted, and having an aperture therein, to receive the tongue of a padlock, and the forward end of the member engaging said receptacle.

3. A mail-bag fastener, comprising 1n ccmbination with the mail-bag and strap fastened. thereto, a metallic identification-receptacle With extension and keeper formed thereon, staples fastened to said receptacle and keeper, a metallic member fastened tothe end of said strap, and fitting within said keeper, its free end apertured to receive the tongue of a padlock, and inclined, and engaging a recess 1n the end of said receptacle, as set forth.

4. In combination with the metallic receptacle, a hinged cover mounted thereon, shoulders on the opposite longitudinal edges of said cover, adapted to be seated in recesses in the edges of the receptacle adjacent to the hinged end of the cover, shoulders on the inner Walls of the receptacle on which the cover rests, and a spring-actuated bolt on the edge of the cover, and a keeper on the outer face'of said receptacle, adapted to receive said bolt, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES CANON VHALEY. 

